Skip to content

1987 Nissan Maxima Recalls, Complaints & Specs

No safety recalls list the 1987 Nissan Maxima, and owners have filed 176 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

0
safety recalls
176
owner complaints to NHTSA
5 / 96
complaints citing a crash / fire
18–19
MPG combined (EPA)

No safety recalls on record

NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 1987 Nissan Maxima. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.

176 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1987 Nissan Maxima have filed 176 complaints with NHTSA; 5 describe a crash and 96 describe a fire. Reports cite 6 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 124,069 miles. Complaints peaked in 1995 with 65 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“1987 nissan maxima. The consumer writes in regard to vehicle fire under the hood. *smd the consumer stated while driving, one of the passengers started to smell burning wire. Soon after his wife notic”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 27, 2012 · Electrical system

“Automatic seat belt retractor cable popped out and it would'nt move. Now it only works manually. *jb”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 20, 2004 · Seat belts

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1987 Nissan Maxima (Maxima Wagon). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined18–19 mpg
City / Highway16 / 22–24
FuelRegular
EPA classCompact Cars, Small Station Wagons
Engine6 cyl, 3 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Nissan Maxima model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Nissan Maxima model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1982 Nissan Maxima04
1983 Nissan Maxima05
1984 Nissan Maxima030
1985 Nissan Maxima154
1986 Nissan Maxima160
1987 Nissan Maxima0176
1988 Nissan Maxima060
1989 Nissan Maxima162
1990 Nissan Maxima1106
1991 Nissan Maxima176
1992 Nissan Maxima2110
1993 Nissan Maxima378
1994 Nissan Maxima289
1995 Nissan Maxima0152
1996 Nissan Maxima096
1997 Nissan Maxima1102
1998 Nissan Maxima1113
1999 Nissan Maxima0165
2000 Nissan Maxima0360
2001 Nissan Maxima3172
2002 Nissan Maxima6205
2003 Nissan Maxima3206
2004 Nissan Maxima21,426
2005 Nissan Maxima2948
2006 Nissan Maxima2576
2007 Nissan Maxima1129
2008 Nissan Maxima079
2009 Nissan Maxima1339
2010 Nissan Maxima1275
2011 Nissan Maxima0106
2012 Nissan Maxima0107
2013 Nissan Maxima062
2014 Nissan Maxima096
2015 Nissan Maxima01
2016 Nissan Maxima8142
2017 Nissan Maxima4103
2018 Nissan Maxima236
2019 Nissan Maxima118
2020 Nissan Maxima122
2021 Nissan Maxima03
2022 Nissan Maxima05
2023 Nissan Maxima01

Checking a specific 1987 Nissan Maxima

How do I know if my 1987 Nissan Maxima has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Nissan dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Nissan models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.